Raising the standard of living of the poor cannot be done without reducing the ridiculously high standards of the very wealthy to make room for a wider middle class. Top corporate executives continue to receive perks and bonuses for unremarkable structuring of its production plants and rather remarkable for their eye on the bottom line to please stockholders while having little concern for their employees’ well-being by mergers, increasing outsourcing of labor and cutting benefits. When $10 million birthday parties and $700K watches become common among the most affluent means the country is reincarnating the Court of Louis XIV. When athletes spend more time buying jewelry and outlandish fashion than Willie Mays used to spend time playing stickball with the kids in Harlem, it is time to rollback the absurd contracts that relentlessly pilfer from loyal fans. When the entertainment industry pampers and lavishes astronomical pay and royalty to its stars, it is time to reassess the validity of allowing the moguls hands-off decision-making.
That a company like Wal-Mart, which produces nothing and a major distributor of imported goods, yet becomes the biggest employer in the country, is indicative of a nation losing its will to industrialize and modernize its infrastructure. That powerhouses like GM and Ford are on the decline owing to the government’s irresponsibility in not providing universal health care in which foreign makers luxuriate is another sign that the nation is unwilling to come to grips with reality. And why the poor will always be slighted because of the nation’s expertise in muddling through as substitute for vision.
Copyright © 2005 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: December 31, 2005.
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